Navigation at the helm

[gabosifat]

Hello Everyone,

Would appreciate people's opinions on solutions for getting Navionics software to the pedestal. We currently have a 15 yr old Garmin chart plotter which is mounted on a swing arm. Swings from inside the cabin into the middle of the companionway. The system works well, but is harder to see from the cockpit unless zoomed in. No problem with two people, as the one closest can zoom in and out for the helmsman. We were happy with the system until we tapped a rock which wasn't on the older chart of our plotter, but was on a friend's Navionics on his phone. No real damage (except for my pride) as we were only going about 1 knot.

Was originally thinking an iPad with Navionics and a waterproof case mounted on something like a Ram mount attached on the pedestal. Have read about problems such as unreliable waterproof protection, glare etc. More expensive option is new chart plotter with pod mounted at the helm.

All opinions and experiences much appreciated!

Cheers,
Steve Gabbott
Silent Dancer
1986 E35/3

 

[Loren Beach]

Our stock EY Yacht Services SS guard is approx 12" wide, and I built an frp shelf that spans it and mounts our 9" Lowrance plotter/radar combo under the top loop. I did have to take the guard off and raise it several inches by having the legs each get a piece added. The leg-lengthening change is invisible after the weld was polished out.

The "bus" network is under one side of the cockpit. The cable for the power, data bus, and radar come up one of the guard legs. I do not have a dedicated place for the wireless remote for the VHF, so it sits in a cup holder on the front of the guard. I looked at one of their web sites and it appears that the current ones use C-Map charting. I am not sure of the brand of chip in ours....
It is easy to read in daylight and we like the choice of radar overlay or whole screen (or charting only on the whole screen).

 

[toddster]

I started out using iThings with Apps. The cheapest, fastest solution. But they freeze-up at the worst moments and leave you flying blind. Of course, anything that requires a network connection is a farce. I vividly remember an oil tanker bearing down on me, throwing five blasts, and I didn’t know if it was safe to tack outside of the channel. The phone was…. buffering. MacEnc on a laptop was pretty slick, but it drains too much battery power and laptops don’t live in the cockpit very well. But Navionics on an iPad in a waterproof case is probably a pretty good system.

Much later, I bought a couple of Raymarine a-series (obsolete) chart plotters. One for the nav station, one for the helm. (They network – and iThings can join the network.) You can see them in sunlight. There was a moment when they could be had for small bucks on eBay. Though they seem to be somewhat rare at the moment. Everything I had integrates into that solution, from old seatalk instruments to third-party NMEA2000 things. It really is a game-changer to be able to lay the radar plot and AIS targets on top of the chart. And have it all at the helm. (Or in your bunk) It also controls the stereo. The problem is that it takes a ridiculous amount of ludicrously expensive proprietary cables (and a bespoke router) to hook all those things together. Far more than the (then) cost of the chart plotters.

If one adds up the cost of adapters and cables to make cheap old gadgets work, the cost of brand-new systems might not be all that outrageous. Though of course the new stuff has its own networking costs. IDK the answer but I think it takes some tedious homework and a spreadsheet to figure out all the options.

 

[kiwisailor]

I use a Samsung 10.1 tablet with OpenCPN https://www.opencpn.org/ free navaigation application and NOAA charts, also have it networked via WiFi to my Vesper AIS so i can see AIS tragets and send waypoints to my NMEA 2000 networked autopilot etc.

E381 - Upgrade to Navigation Electronics to NMEA 2000 Instruments and AIS Class B

I've just completed the final upgrade (famous last words?) to my boats electronics replacing all of the original Nexus Silva NMEA 0183 instruments with new Raymarine NMEA 2000/SeaTalkNG instruments including wind and DST 800 as well as a Vesper...

ericsonyachts.org

 

[gstepler]

I use an old iPad mini with Navionics, laying flat or leaning against a backrest somewhere in the shade. Looking to upgrade to full size one on a RAM mount on the pedestal as suggested previously. My biggest problem, which I think is consistant across all electronics, is reading them with polarized glasses.

 

[Marlin Prowell]

I have a Garmin 942xs chart plotter mounted in a NavPod at the helm. Icom radio provides AIS information. Other devices like Airmar depth sounder, water speed transducer and wind anemometer are also on the boat NMEA 2000 network. All this data gets displayed on the chart plotter at the helm. It works wonderfully.

iPads and other tablets are not designed to work all day in the sun. They overheat and then shut down until the device cools off.

However, you currently have a Garmin chart plotter. Garmin purchased Navionics, so current Garmin charts now include Navionics data. If you can purchase/update to current charts for your Garmin chart plotter (this is a big if for a 15 year old device), then this would be your cheapest solution.

 

[Teranodon]

I have a Garmin 942xs chart plotter....

That's what I have on my E34, and I am very happy with it. On the network is a Garmin VHF/AIS radio and a Garmin Fantom radar. The all-Garmin setup really pays off - everything works seamlessly. The 942xs replaced a much smaller 78sc, which I now have mounted off to the side. It displays GPS speed, distance to waypoint, VMG and bearing, plus a compass rose with bearing arrow. I am very pleased with this system. Wind, depth and speedo are not on the network, and it's no big deal.

 

[william.haas]

We have a 9" Raymarine Axiom display and a Raymarine i70s display mounted in a NavPod that is on the pedestal guard. I very much like having all the information (navigation, wind, speed, depth, AIS, autopilot controls, etc.) right in front of the helm. An added benefit is that through an Amazon fire stick I can mirror the Axiom display to a small television mounted down below. If you are interested I will snap some photos this weekend. Also, if I recall correctly there are a few blog entries that describe a nearly identical setup.

 

[Valkyrie]

I use an iPad in a watertight case paired with a Garmin GLO 2.

 

[goldenstate]

Try an iPad or iPhone for a while and see if it works well enough. If not, get a proper MFD/chart plotter. I like my Raymarine Axiom with Navionics. Navionics is cheap in the short term as an iPad test.

Are there other electronics you want/need to upgrade at the same time?

 

[gabosifat]

Thank you everyone for your great replies. Just starting my research, and appreciate all the help!
Cheers,
Steve
E35/3 Silent Dancer
Gabriola Island B.C.

 

[p.gazibara]

Unfortunately no chart-plotter can take the place of prudent seamanship. They are systems that can fail, and Murphy is always waiting.

Not knowing whether you have room to maneuver sounds like someone may have forgotten to have a look at a chart of the area before you got underway. We are all guilty of this at some point or another, but we can’t rely on technology to get us out of tight situations. They are merely and aid. Every brand warns you of this when it boots up.

I have worked on all sorts of sailing yacht navigation systems, the ones having the most failures seem to be Raymarine. Not sure if that’s because more boats are fitted with Raymarine or what.

I was recently on a 62’ Oyster that lost the GPS position on its n2k network even though it had 8 axiom displays with built in GPS receivers. In the end we had to install a new dedicated GPS antenna to resolve the issue. The problem was later to be determined as a shit firmware update.

I should also disclose, I just accepted a job as a software analyst at Navico (B&G, Simrad, Lowrance). I have not had very much first hand experience with Navico equipment yet. I have only done one install of a Navico system on an older 50’ yacht, but due to COVID, the owner can’t get to the boat so I can’t tell you how well it’s working.

-p

 

[Marlin Prowell]

I have worked on all sorts of sailing yacht navigation systems, the ones having the most failures seem to be Raymarine.

For what it is worth: a local marine electronics shop stopped installing Raymarine systems about 10 years ago because they were too unreliable. Raymarine electronics needed to be returned for warranty repair too often. The shop switched to installing/supporting Navico products. They said that they got great support from Navico, Garmin support was not as good, but they would a least answer the phone, but support from Raymarine was terrible.

 

[Gaviate]

Unfortunately no chart-plotter can take the place of prudent seamanship. They are systems that can fail, and Murphy is always waiting.

Not knowing whether you have room to maneuver sounds like someone may have forgotten to have a look at a chart

This is all great info, having no electronics onboard xcept radio, I live by the chart, which is most often in the cockpit with me, being rolled and unrolled and getting stuffed under a cushion. I did recently replace the transducer on depth sounder so now have that working, what fun to compare to depths posted on chart! After 3 seasons of learning local waters, I only feel the need for electronic charts should I venture to foreign waters, and when I do, the shared experiences here become invaluable. Thank You All!

 

[Teranodon]

I love my touchscreen chartplotter. I'm always poking at various land features, reading off the magnetic bearing, and then identifying them with my hockey puck. I also love the way it knows which way the boat is pointing (from the networked electronic compass) and also which way it's moving over the ground. Comparing these directions tells me a lot, and has kept me out of trouble. Still, I am aware of the chartplotter's limitations. In particular, there is danger in zooming in too much, or zooming out too much. All this, and more, is explained in Nigel Calder's superb "How to Read a Nautical Chart". If anyone here doesn't have a copy - please get one.